Conventional on-site disposal of biohazardous waste involves two types of processes: those which disinfect, sterilize or decontaminate; and those which destroy, shred, contain or grind. The first of these are aimed at destroying or irreversibly inactivating germs, viruses, and other harmful micro-organisms which might otherwise cause illness to humans or damage the environment. The second are aimed at precluding the possibility of reuse, injury, or improper end material disposal.
Most existing on-site disposal systems satisfy only one of these objectives and must be combined with additional off-site processing to complete the safe disposal of the biohazardous waste. Such systems have the disadvantage that they require the transportation and handling of biohazardous materials between the different steps required to render the waste safely disposable. Each handling occurrence adds to the chance for human or environmental contamination.
An alternative procedure for biohazardous waste disposal has been to transport the waste to a remote open air or forced air controlled combustion incinerator for processing. The biohazardous waste is disposed of through incineration at temperatures of 1800.degree. F., or more, for an accepted retention time of at least one minute. Such combustible flame burning techniques, however, produce and discharge their own hazardous gas waste and ash directly into the atmosphere and environment. They also require the transportation and handling of the untreated waste from the site of generation to the incineration site, which adds to the cost of disposal and increases the chance of mishap.